Jeev eyes place in top-50, invitation for US Masters

Fukuoka, Nov 3 (UNI) After his stunning triumph in the Volvo Masters, ahead of the likes of Sergio Garcia, Jeev Milkha Singh has reassessed his goals for the remainder of the season with one eye on the world's top-50 ranking and another on the US Masters.

Jeev is on a high with his brilliant victory at the Volvo Masters in Spain, edging European heavyweights Garcia, Padraig Harrington and Luke Donald to become only the third Asian to win in Europe.

The triumph, his second of the year, propelled Jeev to a career high 77th on the Official World Golf Ranking and the Indian star is now looking to scale greater heights.

''A goal of mine now will be to get into the top-50 in the world, which will also earn me an invite to the US Masters,'' said the Indian who is also Asian Tour's UBS Order of Merit leader.

''I've just won a major event in Europe, now I want to play well in the Majors,'' announced the golfer who is playing in the Asahiryokuken Yomiuri Asoiizuka Memorial Open here.

Jeev will have two stabs at qualifying for the Masters, first by being inside the top-50 in the final 2006 world ranking or the week prior to the 2007 Masters.

And if he succeeds in his mission, Jeev would be the first Indian to play in the Masters.

The Majors and World Golf Championships will be on his agenda next season. His 16th place finish on the 2006 European Tour Order of Merit comes with the reward of a maiden trip to the British Open in Carnoustie, Scotland next year.

Winning the Volvo Masters also earned the Indian star an exemption into the World Golf Championships-Bridgestone Invitational. Other lucrative events on the horizon include the WGC-Accenture Match Play, limited to the world's top-64 players, WGC-CA Championship and the US PGA Championship, the year's fourth and final major.

To achieve his Major ambitions, Jeev, son of Flying Sikh Milkha Singh, will have to show the endurance of a marathon man as he has pencilled down six more events for the year, which will take his season's tally to a high of 38 tournaments.

Since April, Jeev has amazingly played almost non-stop around the world and has missed only three weeks of action till now.

''As I'm playing well, I just keep going. The travels do get to me, but you get used to it. Also, the high of playing well just keeps you going. I'll be playing in a few more events and tournaments like the HSBC Champions next week and the UBS Hong Kong Open will offer a lot of world ranking points,'' Jeev said.

''The Masters is an exciting prospect. I do hope to get into the Masters. In the past, they have invited Asians to play with Zhang Lian-wei (China) and Thongchai Jaidee (Thailand) getting in and if I win our Order of Merit, I hope it will also get me an invite. But If I can do it through the world rankings, that's the best,'' he added.

It has been a bumper year for the Indian, whose career turned around spectacularly with a victory at the co-sanctioned Volvo China Open in April. The five-time Asian Tour winner has also posted 13 other top-10s on the Asian, Japan and European Tours, making him one of the most in-form global players.

After his success in Valderamma, Jeev came here and said he has yet to find time to enjoy a celebratory drink.

''It hasn't set in yet. It's certainly a dream come true, to win one of the biggest events of the year in Europe,'' he said.

''I haven't celebrated yet as I've been travelling so much. But I plan to have a big bash in Chandigarh when I get home in December,'' he said.

UNI XC AY HT1300